UNICORNS AND BLUE BLOOD

BLUE BLOOD The blood that flows in the veins of old and aristocratic families. A literal translation of the Spanish 'sangre azul', attributed to some of the oldest families of Castile, who claimed never to have intermarried with Moors, Jews, or other races. The expression probably originated in the blueness of the veins of people of fair complexion.

UNICORNS In older stories, this creature had a short, colored horn and the body of a goat. Usually a horse's body, often with cloven hooves like a goat; sometimes the entire body looks like a goat's. Long, white spiraled horn--but early Greek naturalists described a shorter, blunter horn colored red, black and white. Tail of a lion--but some descriptions include the tail of a horse, goat, or boar.

Art historians have long considered the unicorn to be a symbol for Christ, a link seen most clearly in the story of a maiden capturing a unicorn. For instance, the unicorn's placing his head in the lap of the young maiden, or virgin, recalls baby Jesus lying in the lap of the Virgin Mary. In other stories and artworks, the unicorn dips its horn into poisoned water to purify it for the other animals to drink, a reference to the story of Christ's sacrifice to cleanse the sins of mankind.

SCOTTISH ROYAL COAT OF ARMS

BRITISH ROYAL COAT OF ARMS